Condylar volume and surface in Caucasian young adult subjects

BACKGROUND: There have been no quantitative standards for volumetric and surface measurements of the mandibular condyle in Caucasian population. However, the recently developed cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) system allows measurement of these parameters with high accuracy. METHODS: CBCT was used to measure the condylar volume, surface and the volume to surface ratio, called the Morphometric Index (MI), of 300 temporo-mandibular joints (TMJ) in 150 Caucasian young adult subjects, with varied malocclusions, without pain or dysfunction of TMJs. RESULTS: The condylar volume was 691.26 ± 54.52 mm(3 )in males and 669.65 ± 58.80 mm(3 )in, and was significantly higher (p< 0.001) in the males. The same was observed for the condylar surface, although without statistical significance (406.02 ± 55.22 mm(2 )in males and 394.77 ± 60.73 mm(2 )in females). Furthermore, the condylar volume (693.61 ± 62.82 mm(3 )) in the right TMJ was significantly higher than in the left (666.99 ± 48.67 mm(3), p < 0.001) as was the condylar surface (411.24 ± 57.99 mm(2 )in the right TMJ and 389.41 ± 56.63 mm(2 )in the left TMJ; t = 3.29; p < 0.01). The MI is 1.72 ± 0.17 for the whole sample, with no significant difference between males and females or the right and left sides. CONCLUSION: These data from temporomandibular joints of patients without pain or clinical dysfunction might serve as examples of normal TMJ's in the general population not seeking orthodontic care.